5 minors drown in flood-stricken Capiz areas

ROXAS CITY, Philippines—At least five persons, all minors, died due to drowning as three days of nonstop rains flooded several areas in Capiz province, authorities said Friday.

The victims were identified as Diomer Albay, 14, of Barangay Bun-od, and Kathlene Padilla, 3, of Barangay Poblacion, both in Cuartero town; Jolly Dioso, 14, and Karen Denubo, 10, both of Barangay Tiniban in Panitan town; and Rey Reyes, 9, of Barangay Poblacion in Mambusao town.

Inspector Leomindo Tayopon, Cuartero police chief, said Albay was hunting for birds with friends Thursday morning when he slipped and fell into the river and was carried away by the strong current. A few hours later, Albay’s body was found floating on the river.

Padilla, on the other hand, fell into a flooded rice field while playing near their house. She was declared dead on arrival when she was brought to a hospital, Tayopon said.

Dioso and Denubo also drowned while playing at a flooded rice field Thursday noon while Reyes fell into a creek near their house Tuesday afternoon.

Esperedion Pelaez, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council action officer, said 4,781 families composed of 23,273 individuals were affected by the flooding.

Mambusao town has 26 barangays that underwater while the other towns with affected areas are Dao (20 barangays), Panay and Sigma (16 each), Dumarao (11), Maayon (10), Pontevedra (9), Pilar (8), Cuartero (6), Sapian (3), Dumalag (2) and President Roxas (1).

As of 9 a.m. Friday, Pontevedra has put up four evacuation centers for the 274 families while Dao set up two evacuation centers for 50 families.

As of 8 a.m., several barangay roads in Cuartero, Panay and Sigma were impassable to light vehicles.

A bridge that was being constructed to connect Pontevedra to Panay town was destroyed by floodwaters that carried debris and garbage, Pelaez said.

The number of affected families and flooded barangays are expected to increase as floodwaters continued to rise.

Ocular assessment was conducted in Mambusao and Sigma but the reports on damages to crops, properties and infrastructures are not immediately available.

On Thursday afternoon, Capiz Governor Victor Tanco called for an emergency meeting with department heads and government agencies to discuss the flooding problem.

The governor has announced the release of P5 million from the Quick Response Fund of the province’s calamity fund. The amount would be used for the relief operation, more particularly in the evacuation centers.

He said he would ask the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to pass a resolution declaring some towns of Capiz under a state of calamity.